"So I encourage all people who have not gotten the flu vaccine yet to go and get a flu vaccine. It's not too late," said Dr. Stephen Lingo at Atrium Health.

Numbers showed those most susceptible to this season's strain are school-aged children. Seven kids have already died.

The CDC also said hospitalization rates for children 5 and younger are now the highest among all age groups. Doctors said the biggest lesson from last year's deadly season is vaccination does make a difference.

"80 percent of the kids who did succumb to influenza last year had not been vaccinated nationwide," said Dr. Lingo.

With the flu now at peak levels in South Carolina and moderate levels in North Carolina, doctors are bracing for what's to come.

"We're right on the border of South Carolina, so we're not far behind. There's plenty of flu in North Carolina as well we just haven't reached as high as a level this early as South Carolina, but we will follow," Dr. Lingo said.